Episode 137
The Client Show
April 20, 2018 · Mike Murphy
EP137: THE CLIENT SHOW In today’s episode, I am going to share my workflow and tools I use for managing my local freelance business, Murphy Concierge Episode Summary: What is Murphy Concierge? Who are my clients and target demographic? How do I keep track of client information? How do I schedule and manage the calendar? How do I organize projects and jobs? How do I invoice and collect payment?
Episode Summary: A behind-the-scenes look at the workflow and tools behind Murphy Concierge, Mike’s local freelance tech-handyman business — from client management to scheduling to invoicing.
What You’ll Learn
- What Murphy Concierge is and who its two client segments are
- How to run a client-facing business entirely from an iPhone using cloud tools
- The full client workflow: booking, scheduling, project tracking, invoicing
- Why thoughtfulness about your audience/clients should shape every tool decision
Tools used: G Suite (the complete office suite), Google Drive (storage), Google Calendar (scheduling), Gmail (email and documentation), Apple Notes (to-dos and notes), Apple Reminders, Apple Contacts (address book), Evernote (brain/hub), Things 3 (to-do app, in trial mode), and Freshbooks (invoicing).
What Is Murphy Concierge?
Murphy Concierge is Mike’s tech handyman business, helping local residents and businesses in Old Naples, Florida with their devices — iPhones, iPads, Macs, wifi, printers — and broader online needs like social media, content creation, and web/graphic design. Most of the work is fixing issues and teaching people to get the most out of their Apple devices. It’s simply an extension of the online brand, just with in-person meetings.
Clients and Target Demographic
Two client segments: mostly retirees over 65, and a smaller group of small professional businesses needing help with content strategy, marketing, and tech issues. Some clients don’t text or email at all, so tools and workflows need to accommodate that. Business clients usually hire Mike either to get up to speed online or because they have no interest in learning the systems themselves. The same thoughtfulness about a target audience matters for any content creator — a periodic brand audit (colors, fonts, graphics, tone, music, writing) helps confirm everything still consistently represents the brand and speaks to its actual audience.
Tracking Client Information
The whole business runs on an iPhone, so every tool is cloud-based for access from any device. G Suite (formerly Google Apps for Work) is the hub, with Google Calendar as the most critical piece. Google Drive stores documents and media; Gmail houses the full address book and serves as a paper trail — every new client gets a contact-info email, and every phone booking gets a documentation email afterward, which can matter legally as well as practically.
Scheduling and Calendar Management
Google Calendar is non-negotiable — reliability depends on it, with reminders set for every morning and 30 minutes before each appointment. As the business gets busier, a foolproof system with built-in checks and balances becomes essential. Side tip: understand and actually test how your devices sync.
The new-booking process: as soon as a job is booked, “Hey Siri, add [name] to my calendar at noon on the 27th,” immediately followed by a matching reminder — checks and balances. Contact details, address, and the nature of the job get copied into the calendar event notes so nothing gets lost en route to a job. Contacts live primarily in Apple iCloud (synced with Gmail every couple of months) since Mike is usually on his iPhone; Reminders, Notes, and Contacts get used, though not iCloud Calendar itself.
Organizing Projects and Jobs
Mike previously used Highrise CRM, but now organizes mostly through G Suite (Drive, Calendar, Gmail, Contacts), with Reminders keeping everything on track.
Invoicing and Payment
Freshbooks is the financial center — around $25/month at the time, covering invoicing, expense tracking, and general accounting. Strong feature set, genuinely helpful and friendly customer service (they answer the phone), and a free trial available. Making it easy for clients to reach and pay you is a big part of running a successful business.